Summary = TBD
Condensed News Items = See below
News Item Gallery = jcap 1999-04-07 (99051) -2346
Transcript = None
Key Words =
The News
99051-1
MY NEWS FOR APRIL 7, 1999
THE HEAD OF A MONASTERY ASKED ONE OF THE MONKS WHO’D BEEN THERE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WHAT HE THOUGHT ABOUT NOT YET BEING PERMANENTLY AWAKE,
AND THE YOUNGER ONE REPLIED THAT HE NO LONGER THOUGHT ABOUT IT, TO WHICH THE MASTER IMMEDIATELY REPLIED: “YOU’LL NO DOUBT SUCCEED.”
* * *
AT TIMES WHEN YOU CAN’T SEEM TO STOP THE THINKING
AT LEAST MAKE IT MEANINGFUL AND ADOPT THIS APPROACH: DO NOT THINK ABOUT ANY ONE TH[NG IN PARTICULAR.
…(IN YOUR INNER GYMNASIUM, THIS CAN ACT AS BOTH A STRETCHING, AND A, “BULKING UP” EXERCISE.)
* * *
THE HEAD OF ANOTHER MONASTERY CALLED IN ONE OF THE MONKS WHO HAD BEEN THERE FOR QUITE SOME T[ME AND SAID: “I’D LIKE TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.”,
AND THE YOUNGER ONE IMMEDIATELY REPLIED: “I’D PREFER NOT TO TALK ABOUT IT.”, AND TO HIMSELF THE MASTER SAID: “HE’S GONNA MAKE IT.”
* * *
WHEN THINKING HAS TEMPORARILY TAKEN OVER YOUR MIND, PUT IT TO GOOD USE, AND
TURN IT TO THIS QUESTION:
“WHAT IS MY MIND LIKE BEFORE IT IS DISTURBED BY THOUGHT?”
* * *
ONE MAN BECAME SO AGILE AND ATHLETICALLY GOOD AT THIS
THAT HE COULD NO LONGER WALK AND CHEW THOUGHTS AT THE SAME TIME.
…”THANK GOD”, SAYS HE,
THAT I’VE FINALLY BECOME INEPT IN ANY AREA THAT MEANS SOMETHING.”
99051-2
ONE MAN HAS THE THEORY THAT THOSE WHO WANT TO AWAKEN ARE THOSE WHO ARE EASILY BORED,
AND WHO, (TO COMBAT THIS), DEVELOP A MENTAL LIFE THAT IS BUSIER, AND MORE COMPLEX THAN THE NORM,
AND WHICH BUSY MENTAL LIFE ULTIMATELY BECOMES THEIR MOTIVATION TO AWAKEN SO AS TO CALM THIS OVERLY ACTIVE ACTIVITY. …(SOME THEORY, HUH?!)
* * *
QUESTION: HOW CAN YOU THINK AND BE ASSURED OF NOT DECEIVING YOURSELF? ANSWER: BY NOT THINKING ANYTHING THAT NATURALLY COMES TO MIND. …(SIMPLE, HUH?!)
* * *
AND ANOTHER MAN HAS A THEORY THAT IF EVERYONE MOVED FROM WHERE THEY LIVE NOW THAT EVERYONE WOULD — WAKE UP.
…(YOU KNOW, I GUESS A MAN COULD END UP, KNEE DEEP IN THEORIES, HUH?!)
* * *
QUESTION: HOW CAN YOU BE CERTAIN THAT YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME, REGARDING THE MIND?
ANSWER: YOU ARE IF YOU ARE — THINKING ABOUT IT.
AND A LISTENER ASKS: “BUT HOW DO YOU RECONCILE THAT WITH EARLIER PROCLAMATIONS
THAT A MAN SHOULD BE CONSTANTLY, ‘CONSCIOUS OF HIS CONSCIOUSNESS’,
‘ATTENTIVE TO ATTENTION’?”,
AND SINCE THE QUESTIONER APPEARS TO BE AN INTELLIGENT SORT,
I’D GIVE HIM A FORTHRIGHT REPLY:
IN THE WORLD OF THE MIND, ANYTHING YOU WANT RECONCILED CAN BE RECONCILED,
AND ANYTHING YOU WANT RECONCILED CAN BE LEFT RECONCILED — SO:
WHAT’S THE POINT?’ ASK YOURSELF: “WHAT’S THE POINT?!”
SO — I’LL THEN POINTLESSLY REPEAT MYSELF AND SAY:
YOU MAY BE CERTAIN THAT YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME — IF YOU ARE,
THINKING ABOUT THE MIND. …(DON’T YOU SEE BY NOW THAT YOU DO NOT
“THINK ABOUT” YOUR MIND, IT IS THE MIND THINKING ABOUT ITSELF, AN ACTIVITY THAT
TO THE UNENLIGHTENED SEEMS PROPER BUT WHICH IS IN POINT OF FACT–UTTERLY MEANINGLESS.
99051-
AND SOMEONE IN OUR STUDIO AUDIENCE SENDS UP A NOTE ASKING THIS QUESTION: “HOW SPECIFICALLY CAN ONE GO ABOUT MAKING THOUGHT LESS INTRUSIVE?”,
— SILENT THINKING,SIR,
THINKING WITHOUT ANY INNER COMMENT ACCOMPANYING IT, AND YOU’VE GOT IT.
“SILENT THINKING”— NOW THERE’S A TICKET FOR YOU TO RIDE.
…(AND SOMEONE SITTING LIP FRONT MUTTERS: “SOUNDS LIKE A TRICK TO ME.” -…[SOME MUTTER, HUH?!])
THEORY DISGUISED & PRESENTED AS FACT, (SINCE FACTS ARE IN SUCH SHORT SUPPLY): EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON IN THE MIND REGARDING THE MIND IS A “TRICK” -IMAGINARY DOGS & PONIES WHO GIVE THE ILLUSION OF PERFORMING ACTUAL FEATS. …(PERIODICALLY, ONE MAN WOULD PRESS HIS FOREHEAD AGAINST A MIRROR,
AND ANNOUNCE TO HIMSELF: “STEP RIGHT UP — STEP RIGHT UP,
AND SEE THE MOST ASTOUNDING ACT IN THE UNIVERSE:
ME STILL TALKING AND THINKING AS THOUGH I AM SOMETHING APART FROM MY MIND. WHAT A TRICK, LADIES & GENTLEMEN, BOYS & GIRLS — WHAT AN UNBELIEVABLE TRICK!! …[EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT I — BELIEVE IT.
HEY – AM I SOME KINDA AUDIENCE OR WHAT?!])
WHEN YOU ARE LOST, DEEP IN THOUGHT
YOU ARE LOST TO THE FACT THAT YOU AND THOUGHT ARE A SINGLE, 2 HEADED CREATURE, WHOSE HEADS CONTINUALLY SWAP NAMES, GIVING THE ILLUSION THAT THERE IS
2 SEPARATE CREATURES.
THIS ILLUSION — THIS TRICK THAT FOOLS THE EYE/I —
IS SO OBVIOUS AND OUT-FRONT AS TO BE QUITE SUBTLE AND SECRETIVE.
THERE WAS ONCE A MAN WHO HELD THE THEORY THAT:
“WHEN YOU THINK THAT YOU’RE ASLEEP — YOU’RE AWAKE,
AND WHEN YOU THINK THAT YOU’RE AWAKE — YOU’RE ASLEEP.”
…FOR THIS TO MAKE ANY SENSE, I’M GUESSING THAT.WE SHOULD ASSUME THAT THEY KEY WORD
IN HIS THEORY IS, “THINK THAT”
YOU’RE EITHER AWAKE OR ASLEEP….
…ALTHOUGH TO ORDINARY THINKING,
TO SAY THAT IT MAKES ANY SENSE
IS STILL A STRETCH.
RECAPITULATION & EXPANSION: WHEN YOU ARE LOST, DEEP IN THOUGHT — YOU’RE LOST. — AND THAT’S NO “THEORY” — SUBJECT CLOSED.
99051-4
THERE WAS ONCE A WOLF WHO SOMETIMES THOUGHT HE WAS A DOG, AND SOME TIMES THOUGHT HE WAS A HYENA, WHAT DO YOU THINK HE SHOULD BE CALLED?
AND THERE WAS ONCE A MIGHTY BUS WHO SAID:
“I AM MOST HAPPY WHEN MY FUEL TANK IS EMPTY.” —
— IT WAS A BUS WHO DID MOST OF ITS TRAVELING
RIGHT UP IN ITS FOREHEAD, I MEAN, WINDSHIELD…YOU KNOW,
LIP FRONT. . -UP THERE- .YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
THERE IS A LEGEND THAT SAYS A MAN IS ONLY COMPLETE & FULFILLED WHEN HE CORRECTLY KNOWS HIS OWN NAME —
— WHICH IS A NAME THAT CAN NEVER BE SPOKEN.
…(DO YOU AND THE WOLF “GET IT?!” – THE BUS DOES.)
* * *
VIS A VIS THAT ANCIENT SCHOOL FOR ENLIGHTENMENT THAT I MENTIONED
WHICH REFERRED-TO A MAN’S ORDINARY MENTAL STATE AS HIM HAVING, “LOST HIS MIND”, WELL, IF WE DO FOR THE MOMENT, TAKE THAT AS A VALID DESCRIPTION OF HIS
ROUTINE NEURAL CONDITION THEN I COULD ADD TO IT AND SAY THAT THE CURE FOR SUFFERING FROM HAVING NATURALLY, “LOST YOUR MIND” IS TO NOW,
LOSE IT ALL OVER AGAIN — INTENTIONALLY.
AND STANDING IN HIS YARD, ONE MAN WAS HEARD TO SING:
“RED ROVER,
RED ROVER,
STAY WHERE YOU ARE — NO NEED TO COME HOME.”
…WHICH IMMEDIATELY CAUSED ONE OF HIS NEIGHBORS TO GET CRAMPS AND CRY OUT: “WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN?! —
THAT’S THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF EVERYTHING I’VE HEARD LATELY.”
THERE WAS ONCE A WOLF WHO, (ALTHOUGH HE HE REALIZED HE WAS BASICALLY A WOLF), NONETHELESS SOME TIMES THOUGHT OF HIMSELF AS A DOG,
AND OTHER TIMES THOUGHT OF HIMSELF AS A HYENA,
(BUT LET’S FACE IT: IF HE WASN’T TOTALLY NUTS, [WHICH HE WASN’T],
THROUGHOUT IT ALL HE STILL HAD THE BASIC REALIZATION THAT HE WAS NOTHING MORE OR LESS THAN JUST A WOLF.
…(AND A TREE STANDING NEAR THE WOLF THOUGHT: “SO WHAT’S ALL THE FUSS & DISCUSSION?!: WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL IN REALIZING THAT A THING IS WHAT IT IS?!”)])
99051-5
AFTER MANY YEARS AT A CERTAIN SCHOOL DEDICATED TO LIBERATION,
ONE MAN DECIDED TO LEAVE —
HIS EXPLANATION BEING THAT:
“ORIGINALLY IT WAS ALL QUITE MYSTERIOUS AND MUCH STIRRED MY IMAGINATION —
— BUT NOW JUST LOOK AT WHAT THEY DONE TO IT —
— THEY’VE STARTED TRYING TO MAKE IT SEEM SO OBVIOUS & SIMPLE AS TO
TAKE ALL THE FUN OUT OF IT FOR ME.”
…AND UPON HEARING HIM SAY THIS, THE HEAD OF THE SCHOOL INWARDLY SHOOK HIS HEAD
AND SAID: “WHAT A PITY —
A MAN WHO WALKED AS FAR AS HE DID
AND NEVER UNDERTOOK TO UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF HIS FEET.’
TRUTH: THE JOURNEY ULTIMATELY GOES NO WHERE UNLESS YOU REALIZE FOR YOURSELF
THE ESSENCE OF THE CONVEYANCE — THE MIND — THAT BECKONED YOU, AND
CARRIED YOU
TO THE PLACE YOU ARE NOW.
DON’T MERELY, “WALK ON THESE FEET” — LOOK AT THEM PLAINLY & DIRECTLY:
JUST “WALKING” THE PATH TOWARD ENLIGHTENMENT IS NOT ALONE, ENOUGH: YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THE NATURE & OPERATIONS OF THAT WITHIN YOU THAT MAKES THE SENSATION OF INNER TRAVEL POSSIBLE.
NO ONE IS GOING — ANY WHERE,
BUT ONLY THE CLEAR HEADED REALIZE IT:
NOT IN WORDS & DESCRIPTIONS, BUT IN: REALITY & REALITY.
THERE WAS ONCE A MONASTERY WHOSE MOTTO WAS:
“ONLY THOSE WHO THINK THEY’RE ON THE ‘WAY-TO’ AWAKENING NEVER GET THERE.”
….(SOME MOTTO, HUH?!)
* * *
THEN SUDDENLY, FROM DEEP WITHIN THE BOWELS OF ALL THAT IS RATIONAL, LOGICAL, SANE AND DECENT, AROSE A VOICE WHICH CRIED OUT IN ANGUISH & FRUSTRATION: “WELL, IF THERE IS NOTHING TO DO,TO AWAKEN,
ALONG WITH THE FACT THAT TO AWAKEN, YOU MUST DO SOMETHING,
WHAT [N SHIVA’S NAME AM I EXPECTED TO DO?!”
…(MAN!,WHOEVER SAID THAT MUST BE IN SOME DEEP, DEEP BOWELS, HUH?!)
NOTE: THERE ARE ALWAYS THOSE WHO THINK THAT YOU CAN SLANDER THE IDEA OF AWAKENING ( BUT THOSE WHO DO, LABOR UNDER THE DISADVANTAGE OF NOT BEING AWAKE.
…(HEY, DO US BOTH A FAVOR: DON’T LABOR UNDER DISADVANTAGES —
IT’S NOT NECESSARY.)